Darkness Rising: The Wind To My Fire
by DonnyFire
Summary: Six years after Malefor's defeat, the city of Warfang is celebrating its anniversary. Spyro is preparing for the night of festivities, but he wants to do more than celebrate with his new-found love Cynder. He wants to take the next step, but will Cynder feel the same? (Two-Shot!)
1. Chapter 1

It was early in the morning when I opened my eyes. The sun was shining through the open balcony door and onto my face. I moved slowly since I wasn't the only one in the bed. Cynder was laying right next to me and I didn't want to disturb her. I used my wing to keep the light from burning itself into my retinas. It was quiet except for Cynder's quiet and steady breathing. I had a sour taste in my mouth which probably had something to do with the deer I ate the night before.

The next movement I made was with my tail. It was wrapped around hers, forming an amethyst and ebony spiral. This show of affection had become a habit of ours. Though I loved the gesture, it made it difficult to get up without waking her. But today must have been my lucky day because I managed to free my tail and slide out of bed without disrupting her peace.

Our room had never been much. It had some mementos from our years during the war. We left our armor up on the wall as a reminder of who we are: heroes. Also, because it no longer fit our adult-sized bodies.

I quietly made my way downstairs to prepare breakfast. I had a busy day today; Cynder and I were going out tonight since it was the six-year anniversary of our victory against Malefor. She and I have been together for just as long. But tonight was the night that I would finally ask the important question. So I needed to go out and grab something to give to her. I was so excited and nervous that my tail wouldn't stop shaking.

I quickly cooked up some lamb chops. I scarfed down my half and left the other for Cynder when she woke up. I grabbed a satchel before walking outside to start the day. I didn't so much as take a breath of fresh air when a nasal voice called my name.

"Spyro!" A spark of gold that I recognized as Sparx flew in front of my face. He greeted me, "Good morning dude! What's on the agenda today?" The small dragonfly had grown and matured quite a bit since the war. I'm surprised that he didn't have a family yet. I didn't blame him though; Cynder and I haven't even talked about having a family, despite our relationship.

I lied, "Just looking to relax and take a walk before tonight's festivities." They always held a party with a ball and buffet whenever the anniversary came around every year. Cynder and I plan on going to the celebration and then I'm going to take her to spot where I plan on asking her the big question.

He eyed me suspiciously, "Cool joke Spyro. Now tell me what you're actually doing today. I know that you aren't just leaving your girlfriend with nothing at the end of the night. So what are you getting her?"

I hate when Sparx could see right through me. "Ugh, fine. I'm getting her a set of special bracelets, designed like the ones that she wears. But that's it; are you satisfied?!"

Once again, the little dragonfly knows me too well. "Really, that's it? You're going to hand her some fancy jewelry and call it a day? You need to show her some better dedication."

I scowled at my brother, "It's not some random piece of jewelry. It's for a very special occasion!"

"What kind of special occasion requires you to lie to me?" I felt my brother pause, "Wait… are you guys...are you…going to...marry her?"

I whispered, "Quiet! She could be awake and I don't want to tell her until later tonight. Keep it to yourself...please." He appeared stunned but nodded anyway. I explained, "I just… I just want me and her to be happy together. She's having a bit of a hard time at night. There are times during that period where she wakes up from of her nightmares and starts breaking down into tears. There are even times where…where...," my voice trailed off. I...I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought. "Her past haunts her every day and I feel like there's nothing I can do! All I can do is hope it all works out in the end. If this is the wrong thing to do, then I don't know. I'm just following my heart and my heart wants me to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to be there when she has no one else; I want to be there to keep her safe; I want to be there...so she feels like she has a purpose."

I looked Sparx dead in his eyes, "So that's why you can't tell her. I want her happiness to be genuine when I ask her." I straightened back up. "Well, I need to go and see about those bracelets. I ordered a week ago so it should be done. Are coming with me?"

It took Sparx a second to respond after my tangent but he squeaked, "You know what, this sounds very personal to you and I don't really want to get involved in your business. I'll see you later." He flew off before I spread my wings and rocketed into the sky.

The morning was chilled but remained comforting. I found the feeling of the wind brushing against my scales ticklish but still satisfying. Cynder always enjoyed the sky more than I do though anyways. We had discussed how before she became the Dark Master's general that she was meant to be a wind dragon. So, it was understandable that she was most comfortable in the sky.

It wasn't hard to find the forge's blacks and greys from the city's whites and golds. The streets were crawling with dragons, moles, and cheetahs. They were all preparing for the bacchanal night ahead of them. It didn't take long before I spotted the goldsmith working in his forge. The smoke filled the air and I cringed from the pungent odor invading my nostrils. I landed with a thump as I confronted the smithy. "Good morning, Flame, is my order ready?"

The red dragon was covered in soot and the scales around his paws had hardened to be black and ashy. He spoke with a rough and gritty tone, "Of course, Spyro. It's been ready for a couple of days." He pulled out a set of four bracelets. They were silver, encrusted with a large, light-blue gem called an aquamarine. I designed them to represent Cynder in every way.

As he passed it to me, he asked, "So, who's the lucky dragoness?"

The question was a bit odd, but I didn't mind answering. "Cynder, of course! Who else would it be?"

"Really? I thought you and Ember were in a relationship? And isn't Cynder the former general of Dark Master?"

I had a feeling he was going to say that. "Ember? She and I are not in any kind of relationship other than being friends. And yes, Cynder is technically the former dark general. But that was a long time ago and she killed against her will. We can't blame her for something like that. I know that I certainly don't."

Flame continued pounding away at a plate he was working on. He rebutted, "I understand that it wasn't her fault and that it was out of her control. But, I've known you for years. I'm just trying to make sure that you're making the right choice. I wouldn't want you to create a bond that you'll regret later. So I'll ask the same question that I asked when you ordered… are you sure you want to do this?"

I was determined, "I've never been surer of something in my life."

The dragon smith just nodded and passed me the bracelets. "Usually a product like that would have a hefty price. But considering the circumstances and our friendship, I'm willing to let it slide." He grabbed by my wrist, "You just have to promise me one thing… that you don't make the same mistake I made when I was your age. When you propose, you two are bonded forever and that's it. So don't you dare leave her or I will hunt you down myself, got that?!" His stern eyes told me he was serious.

But I wasn't going to back down, "I promise!"

He smiled, "Good, now you should head home. She's probably wondering where you are right now."

Thinking about it, he was probably right. "Yeah, I should be on my way. Thank you so much, Flame."

He waved me off, "Don't thank me. I was just doing my job. Now shoo! I got work to do!"

I enthusiastically put the bracelets in my satchel, spread my wings, and flew through the smoke into the open air. I sputtered, "Okay…that was not…a good idea!" between coughs as ash entered my lungs. I quickly sped back to my home to hopefully get there before Cynder woke up. She and I lived just outside of Warfang so it didn't take me long to get back.

Once I landed in front of our house, I creaked open the door. It was still dark inside and none of the dust had moved. Her breakfast was still on the table so she must still be asleep. I first put the satchel away before treading back up the stairs. I kept my ears open for any movement in case she was awake. Once I spotted her still covered in blankets, I walked over to her side of the bed. Somehow, the circumstance usually ends up being that I have to wake her up.

I placed my paw on her shoulder and shook it her a little. "Cynder, it's time to wake up! Today is a very important day!"

She groaned and protested, "Do I have to? You know how I feel about going into public."

"I do, but we have to keep up our appearances. Besides, are you really going to leave me alone for our outing tonight?"

She chuckled, "I guess not." The black dragoness lethargically got out of the bed and stretched out her front paws. I could hear the pops in her spine as it extended. When she started to walk by me, I followed behind her.

"I cooked you some breakfast if you're hungry at all."

She smiled, "Thank you, Spyro. I appreciate that." Once we reached the bottom of the steps, she moseyed on over to the table where the luke-warm lamb chop was laying. "Wow! You cooked sheep because you knew that it was my favorite, right?"

I felt a drop of sweat roll down my tail. "Yes, of course!" I honestly had just thrown something together and threw it on a plate. I didn't pay attention to what I had cooked at the time till it was finished and I was eating it. Luckily, she took my word for it and started ravenously ripping into the leg. I sat down opposite to her to start a conversation. "So, how did you sleep?"

She swallowed a piece of meat before responding, "I-I slept well." Her mood seemed to darken and the rate at which she was eating slowed. As she averted her gaze from mine, I knew that something was wrong.

"You had another nightmare, didn't you?" I could tell my question caught her off guard since her first reaction was that her cheeks flushed a bit pink. It usually meant that she was embarrassed in some way so I knew I hit the nail on the head. For years, she has had these nightmares almost every night. I've gotten into the habit of asking her how she slept to try and help her discuss them. I placed my paw on hers, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

She hesitantly replied, "Sure," before she took a moment to collect herself. She started, "I was in an unfamiliar village. I was watching...no, stalking a dragoness as she took her son into a small house. I couldn't control myself and...I charged at her from behind. We started scratching and biting at each other. But…the fight ended when...I…" Her voice trailed off and her tail rattled against the floor. "There was blood…so much blood. I remember looking at her child and raising my tail blade. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, but I...I..." She started to tremble slightly and wetness glossed over her eyes. Taking it as a cue, I moved over next to her and wrapped my wing around her to hopefully comfort her. She turned and buried her face in my chest. It was silent except for the sound of her sniffling. I knew this was hard for her, but the best I could do was be there for her.

We remained there, locked in our embrace for what felt like an eternity. I knew that I had things to do today before the big celebration, but I couldn't just leave her. Once I felt her go almost completely quiet, I licked her cheek to get her attention. She looked up at me with red and puffy eyes. She felt warm against my scales. I whispered softly, "Do you feel any better?"

She averted her eyes, "A little." She lightly nuzzled me under my chin with her cheek. I shivered from the moisture on her scales touching my neck.

I smiled, "I can tell." I kissed the top of her head, causing her to coo softly before I got up. "Of how much I would love to spend the day cuddling with you, the guardians need me to help with preparations for the ball." She gave me a slightly dejected look. I sighed, "If you want, you can come with me. An extra pair of paws would certainly help things move along a little faster."

She groaned, "Well, I guess have nothing better to do so, sure, I'll tag along." She rose from her seat and collected her bracelets from the nearby drawer. The bracelets were finally showing their age with a bit of rust. What was strange is that the bracelet seemed to adjust to Cynder's size. From the years that I've known her, she wears them to constantly remind herself that she isn't the Terror of the Skies. She wears them as a symbol of defiance against what Malefor stood for. Once she had them on and stood by my side, I knew that she was ready to go.

I opened the door and let her walk out first before closing it behind me. She stretched out her wings and took off before me. A gust of wind rippled through the air as I jerked my head towards the spot Cynder was standing in before. I chuckled, "A little eager aren't we?" I took flight and followed behind her. She had managed to gain a lot of distance in a matter of seconds. I wasn't surprised, she had always been faster and better at flying than me. I saw her glance at me and she smirked, clearly noticing how far ahead of me she was. She suddenly gave one strong flap of her wings and she rocketed ahead of me by another couple of yards.

By the time we arrived at the dragon temple built high above the city, she had already landed and was waiting for me. By the time my feet touched the concrete, I was out of breath, while Cynder hadn't even broken a sweat. I spoke out, "How come…you are…so much faster than me...all the time?" while I was panting.

She gave a cocky smile, "Spyro, you know that I'm a wind dragon. I can control how fast I'm moving by directing the wind currents around me. For a purple dragon, I thought you could too." Now she was just trying to get under my scales.

"As I have said before, I don't want to learn wind. I've always felt comfortable by resorting to my fire."

She chuckled, "Whatever you say. Come on, we don't want to keep them waiting." I groaned as I pulled myself to my feet. We had landed just outside of the doors to the temple. The doors were always incredibly difficult to open due to their immense size. The entrance itself was elegantly crafted with a polished wooden finish. And for the final touch, they engraved with it the head of the late Ignitus in his honor. Cynder gave another strong flap of her wings and the double doors blew open.

The guardians, who I assume were discussing very important topics, all turned their attention toward us. There were about seven dragons gathered in total. Three of them were Cyril, Volteer, and Terrador, whom I recognized immediately.

The other four were the new guardians. The first one was Sickle; our new ice guardian and surrogate leader of the group. He was the bravest, strongest, and most responsible of the group. He had glossy light-blue scales with a dark-blue gradient going down his limbs. His four horns were a polished silver and he had some webbing on the side of his jaw. He was the most respected of the guardians for balancing his life of duty and service with a personal life living with his mate. His main duty was to direct the construction for new facilities in Warfang.

The next one was Char; the new fire guardian and the general of the group. Though he is usually calm, he is the most passionate of the group to match his fiery combat ability. He has bright red scales and was also peppered with yellow and orange scales up and down his body. He has two black horns with spikes protruding out of his shoulders. When it came to the courtroom, he was an unforgiving judge who will do everything in his power to uphold the law. His responsibilities are as a judge and Warfang's military commander.

The third guardian was Static; the upcoming lightning guardian and the archivist-in-training. He has the most energy of the group which is a reflection of Volteer. Though his vocabulary repertoire isn't nearly as deep as the elder guardian, he is an extremely strong capacity for learning. He had yellow scales of the brighter variety. His belly scales contrasted with a royal blue as well as his horns. He is mostly responsible for keeping the guardians on schedule and for planning big events

The final guardian was Tremor. Since he is the new earth guardian, he is considered the city defense expert. He is the quietest, but always the most vigilant for danger when he is on the ground. He had dirt-colored scales with a streak of dark green going down his back. His horns very much matched that of Terrador's. Regarding his role, he was the cities' headmaster for education.

They were all gathered in the center of the hall, which was the locale for the ball tonight. Volteer greeted us, "Cynder, Spyro, I'm pleased to see you both before tonight's big celebration! Do either of you have any plans this evening?"

Cynder and I looked at each other before turning back to him. "We plan on going out tonight after the ball. We won't be spending the entire night here, unfortunately. We apologize if that is getting in the way of any of your plans."

Static interjected, "Actually, none of us were planning for you and Cynder to stay. We realize that you have your own lives outside what the world sees you as. We know you two aren't fans of being in public. We only ask you to show up for a portion of the ball to reassure the public that they are safe. After that, we are fine with you two leaving and enjoying your night together."

Sickle jumped in, "Yes, we are all grateful for your services to the city. Consider this a part of our thanks for your heroic deeds. Without you two, we wouldn't be standing here today." The ice guardian stepped forward, "On behalf of the other guardians, I thank you both for your services, not only to this city but for all of dragon-kind alike!"

Char interrupted, "And tonight, we shall celebrate! But first, we need your help preparing for the ball." He pointed his talon towards what looked like an empty stage. "We need one of you to go to our orchestral facilities to make sure they will be present and performing. Then, we just need the other to help set up chairs and tables for the guests."

"I'll go and speak to the orchestra director," I jumped in. Thankfully, the fire guardian had reminded me of another matter that I had to discuss with the director. I looked at Cynder with the feeling of excitement sprawled across my face. She gave me a look of skepticism before shrugging me off.

"I guess I'll help with setting up for the ball."

"Then it is decided!" Volteer nodded to the other dragons guardians. "You are both dismissed. Tonight will be a fantastical, amazing, stupendous, splendid celebration! We will all see you then!"

The group split to work on their own chores and responsibilities. Before Cynder and I split, I snuck a kiss on her cheek. She blushed before I took and left her to go to the Music Emporium, where the orchestras practiced, rehearsed, and played. It was relatively close to the temple and the architecture wasn't too complicated. There were separate rooms for the specific instrument sectionals and a stage for the full ensemble to perform on when they held a concert. Today, they were supposed to be doing final run-throughs of all the compositions they have lined up for the holiday. I just hoped I wasn't cutting into their rehearsal.

When the building swiftly came into view, I noticed something odd. A bunch of the players was actually leaving. _"They must have finished their rehearsals already,"_ is what I thought to myself.

My claws touched the bottom of the stairs and I started to ascend them. Then a thought came to mind, _"I'm doing all of this preparation, but what if she says no? I'm scared that she worries about others opinions too much. She feels so guilty for just being next to me. Somehow, she thinks that her presence sullies my reputation. But I could care less about how people looked at me. As long as Cynder was by my side, I couldn't be happier."_ I was so focused on my own thoughts that I failed to notice the dragoness standing at the top of the stairs before accidentally bumping into her. I jolted from the sudden contact and lost my footing. I nearly fell back down the stairs before she grabbed my paw and pulled me back up.

Once my front paw felt the ground again and my balance stabilized, I looked up to apologize to the dragoness, "I'm sorry. I-I didn't see…" I froze when I saw her pink scales. She had light-blue eyes and wore a heart pendant. I immediately recognized her, "E-Ember? What are doing here?"

She gave me a disappointed look. "Spyro, don't tell me that you didn't know I was part of the orchestra." She held up the violin case next to her as proof of her profession.

I instantly felt embarrassed that I didn't know about this part of her life. She had been a friend for years. We had met while the executives from the other towns and our guardians were meeting to discuss borders and land possession. She was from East Town and was moving into Warfang. We started conversing and we got to know each other. I'm almost certain she has feelings for me but I just didn't feel the same.

She sighed, "Anyways, why are you here?"

"W-well…the guardians needed me to make sure that the orchestras were going to perform tonight, which I should go and ask your director about." I hastily walked up and past her.

Before I could reach the building, she called out, "Spyro, wait!" I stopped at the door and turned to look at her. She put her case and sprinted over to me. She asked, "Are you okay? You seem…kind of stressed."

"Y-yeah I'm fine. I just have a lot of preparations to make for tonight. Now, if you excuse me, I have to-"

"You're proposing to Cynder tonight, aren't you?" I froze from the sudden accusation. I mean, it was correct but was it really that obvious? Why are my thoughts always so easy to read to everyone else?

I stammered, "H-How did you know?"

"Well, the main reason is that you don't usually stress out on an occasion like this unless it's something extremely important. And I've known you for years. You can easily be distracted whenever something is on your mind. You and Cynder have been dating for six years now so it only makes sense that you're stressed about taking the next step." How was she able to figure this all out in a couple of minutes? She was more perceptive than I thought.

I sighed, "Okay, you got me, I'm proposing to Cynder tonight. Is that all?"

She hesitated, "She's really lucky you know. It makes me envy her a bit. But I knew that I never stood a chance of having you, so I'm glad that you're happy enough with her to ask her such an important question." Ember had a couple of tears rolling down her cheek, but she was smiling. "I hope she says yes for you. I'll see you at the ball tonight." She turned and headed down the stairs with her wings drooped behind her.

I felt guilty about telling her. I should have just said nothing and walked away. But there's nothing I could do at that point. I just had to hope I didn't permanently damage our friendship. I recomposed myself before I pushed open the hall doors.

It was a long corridor with a tiled floor and brick walls. They had the walls painted white with blue stripes through the center. There were a bunch of doorways where the individual sectional were held. Walking in, there were double doors leading into their musical hall. Since there were multiple instrumentalists outside, I assumed that they had an ensemble rehearsal in the auditorium.

I opened the auditorium doors and headed inside. There were rows of seats for spectators to watch and listen to their concerts. There were also balconies for VIP's to watch from above. They had a center stage where orchestra always set up to play. There also chairs for the players and various percussive instruments behind all of that. I noticed the director standing where he would be if he were conducting the ensemble.

When I opened the door, he turned to look at me. He yelled over to me. "Spyro! So glad to see you! What brings you here today?!" His voice echoed throughout the empty hall.

I quickly strolled up next to him so I didn't have to yell back. "The guardians just wanted me to confirm the orchestra's attendance at the ball, Maestro."

"Of course. Our ensemble will be there tonight. We wouldn't miss playing at a celebration like this for the world. The ancestors have blessed us with abilities to make and play music and we are always humbled to showcase it to the city." He picked up what looked a score. "Speaking of, I assume you also came here to check on the progress on the composition commission you sent to me?"

He took the words right of my mouth. Weeks ago, I had requested him to compose a piece for the celebration. I wanted to dedicate it to Cynder and hopefully dance with her when the orchestra played it. "You read my mind. How is the piece coming along?"

"Swimmingly! I finished the piece a week ago and the ensemble is already well acquainted with it. We should be able to perform it tonight."

I bowed, "Thank you so much! Your payment will due in a couple of days."

He waved his paw dismissively, "I do not need payment. I owe it to you as a citizen of Warfang since I wouldn't be here today without you. Consider this my appreciation for your heroic deeds. I hope to perform this piece in your honor for years to come."

"Actually, I don't want to dedicate this piece to myself." He gave me a bit of a surprised glance, "I wish for it to be played to my love, Cynder. I know you two haven't spoken, but you hopefully heard of her?"

He rubbed the tip of his jawline as a sign of contemplation. "Ah, yes! The dragoness that helped you defeat Malefor. I've heard about how you two are nearly inseparable. Though I've never spoken to her, I trust you so I will dedicate this piece to her."

I jumped up with glee, "Thank you for your support! Now if you excuse me, I must report back to guardians and finish preparing for tonight. See you later tonight at the ball!"

He nodded, "Very well. Good day to you!" Walking away from him, I knew tonight was the perfect time to take the next step. Once my armor is ready, the preparations for everything will be finished. Now, I just have to hope that Cynder feels the way I do.


	2. Chapter 2

This specific day had been strange, to say the least. Spyro appeared extremely anxious for some reason. On previous anniversaries, we would usually go out for dinner instead of heading to the ball. But this year, he insisted that we attended the ceremony. When I tried to press him for information, he brushed it off by saying it was our "duty as the city's protectors." He was clearly hiding something and I had a slight suspicion on what it is.

After finishing up the guardian's chores, I visited an old friend to discuss it with her. I had met Ferra about two years after Malefor died. There was a meeting between the candidates, who are now our current guardians, the former guardians, and me and Spyro. She was there because she was actually Sickle's mate. Spyro introduced me to them both and she and I became quick friends.

She lives quite a distance away from Warfang. Usually, a couple of hours flight is how long it takes to get from Warfang to where she lived. Luckily, I was a wind dragon so I could turn those couple of hours into about 30 minutes. As soon as I arrived at her house in Northtown, I quietly landed and knocked on her door. I patiently tapped my tail blade against the ground until she opened the door.

She greeted me, "Oh! Good afternoon, Cynder! I wasn't expecting company today from you. Don't you have a date or something to prepare for with Spyro? I remember you two usually plan one out on celebrations like these."

"Ferra, of course, we are going out tonight, but I wanted to talk to you about something."

She pushed the door open invitingly, "Come on in then; I'll get some tea and we can talk about it."

I nodded and followed her inside. The floor was made of wood and the walls were made of stacked logs. There were minimal decorations and the only source of lighting came from the candles mounted on the walls. They were scented and they smelt like flowers and spring. Though it's not the atmosphere I imagine Sickle likes, it fits his mate perfectly. I also noticed they had an unlit fireplace with a couple of tools for stoking or putting it out. I sat down at her table as she went to get us some tea.

While I was waiting, I heard something strange. It sounded like... crying? I've been to her house many times in the past, but crying was an unusual sound to hear in her household. In fact, the crying sounded strangely familiar. I listened a bit longer before it dawned on me. It was the child from my nightmare last night. I thought to myself, _"Wait…if that is the child from my nightmare, does that mean Ferra is the mother? If that's true, does that mean that I…"_ My tail blade started to rattle with anxiety. _"No.. I would never hurt her! She's one of my closest friends and has always helped me when Spyro was unable to. It was just...a nightmare, not the future."_ I was so caught up in my own words that I failed to notice that I had gone from speaking in my thoughts to speaking out loud to myself.

Ferra snapped me out my state of deep thought when she peeked her head around the corner. "I'm sorry; our newborn, Frost, can be quite loud at times." She wore a look of concern on her face, "Cynder sweetie, are you okay? You seem to be quite distressed by something."

I quickly swung my tail behind my back to try and hide my discovery from her. "No, I'm perfectly fine! Just...trying to figure out what...I'm going to wear tonight is all! I can't just go out wearing…" I inspected myself before realizing I wasn't wearing anything except my shackles. "oh...well...y-you know what I mean, right?!"

She chuckled, "Of course, no dragoness that goes to the ball is without some kind of fashion ware that shows their wealth or participation in the war. If you want, since you don't have anything to wear for tonight, you could wear my armor." She pointed with a talon towards a silver set of polished armor. Its frame supported a slender female body. Just by looking at it, it seemed like a perfect fit.

Ferra continued, "I have long outgrown that armor, but it would be the perfect set for you!"

I stammered, "I...I mean I-I appreciate the offer, but...I really shouldn't. I don't wanna take something that's so precious to you."

She laughed again, "Cynder... the armor means almost nothing to me. It's just a material belonging; the only thing that I truly care about is my friends and family. So please, I insist!"

Before I could protest, a loud hissing noise came from the kitchen. "Oh, looks like the tea is finished. Let me go and get it real quick." She disappeared behind the corner and left me to ponder her offer. I wanted to turn her down but it looked as though she wasn't taking no as an answer.

When she strolled into the room, she was carrying a small platter with a couple of ceramic tea cups resting on top of it. There was visible steam rising from the cups. "Careful, they're a little warm," she said with a joking smile. I carefully cupped one in my paws and took a sip of the hot liquid. As expected, my tongue flinched back with a short but searing pain pulsing through it. Ferra laughed, "I warned you!" She blew lightly on her tea before slurping up some of it. I did the same thing but I drank the entire tea in one gulp.

When my cup plate clattered against the table, Ferra started, "So...what is that you were hoping to discuss with me?"

Nerves hit me again and my tail started to rattle again, but not as aggressively. "Well...it has to do with Spyro."

"Hmm, relationship issues?"

"What! No! That's not it at all! It's just…that…he's been acting a bit...strange is all."

I needed to get it off my chest, "Recently, he has just been...anxious to say the least. Usually, we would only go out and eat dinner on a day like this. But this year, he insisted we go to the ball first. He said that 'our presence brings comfort to the city and going to big events such as this will help us uphold our public image.' I don't care about who the city sees us as. All I cared about was the life that Spyro and I get to spend together. It's all I ever wanted ever since he saved me from Malefor...since he saved me from Gaul...since he saved me from…" My voice faltered, "...myself. I hated myself for so long because of my past. But he didn't give up on me. I know that it was just six years ago but...my heart stills flutters when I think of the night we shared our feelings. I just…I just can't imagine life without him. I'm just scared because...because…" I couldn't finish my thought as I stifled back tears.

Ferra finished it for me, "You're scared that he loves you for the wrong reason." I glanced with a surprised look on my face. "I know that because I faced the exact same dilemma as you. When Sickle and I were still just unwed mates, I doubted his motivations. I was afraid that he loved me because he pitied my inability to use elements. But I later discovered that he truly loved me not for _what I didn't have_, but _who I was_." I felt her paw on my shoulder, "What I'm saying Cynder is that you need to trust that he shares the same feelings as you. If he didn't, then you two would not have been together for as long as you have been. For all I know, he could be proposing to you tonight!"

My head snapped up towards, "Proposing?! N-no...there's no way his love for me runs that deep. I-it's just not meant to be! We're too different! There's no way we can-"

"You and Spyro's differences do not define your relationship!" She sternly cut me off mid-sentence. "Look at me and Sickle. One is an ice dragon and the other doesn't have an element. He grew up in the city and I grew up living on a farm. Yet, here we stand, happily married! You and Spyro… you two were made for each other. So proposal or not, you should accompany him tonight; create memories and make the time you spend with him special...cause you might not have it tomorrow."

Silence swallowed the room. Her outburst left a sinking feeling of sorrow, doubt, and even a touch of fear in my heart. Her words kept echoing in my head, _"create memories...cause you might not have it tomorrow._" Though it wasn't her exact words, it still struck the same chord of fear. "_He's...the only dragon who truly cares about me. I can't lose him; I won't __lose him!"_

I nodded, "Okay, I will."

Ferra responded with a nod of her own, "Thank you." Then she rose from her seat and started collecting all the dishes. She glanced one at me one last time, "The armor is over there on the stand. Clean yourself up when you get back to Warfang. And enjoy your night with Spyro; you two deserve it." We shared a hug before I departed. Seeing as I couldn't carry it, I had to wear the armor home. It definitely fitted better than I thought it was going to. The silver finish blended well with my scales and it had light-blue gems embedded in the shoulder plates, the chest plate, and the helm. I said my final goodbyes and shot through the sky before bursting through the clouds. It only took me half of an hour before I finally reached my home. Once I landed, I opened the door slowly, praying Spyro wasn't home. Luckily, the ancestors were on my side as the purple dragon was nowhere to be seen. "_He must still be preparing for tonight."_

The sun was already falling below the horizon and citizens from Warfang were already making their way to the hall. I quickly moved upstairs to polish my scales. The overall process doesn't take too long, but it needed to be done. I took a whetstone and hooked it onto my tail blade. I scraped it across my scales, causing them to regain their gloss and even add a bit of shine. After that was done, I put on some light makeup. Though I wasn't a huge believer in it, today was one of the very few occasions where it felt appropriate. Finally, I slipped the armor on and was ready to venture into the night with my purple-scaled soul mate.

I left my home and took off once again. I had no need to use my wind element to get to back to Warfang; it wasn't that far away. The sun had already dimmed and the city lights were lit. In addition to its gold and white appeal, the lights gave the city an almost dark, but heavenly glow. As expected, most of its residents were already attending the ball and the streets were almost completely bare. Once my feet touched the ground, I took my time and strolled towards the ball. It was calming to walk not just by myself but also with near complete silence. Sadly, both were short-lived as I finally reached the stairs of the hall. There were still a few dragons walking up the stairs as I started the climb. There were sounds of talking, laughing, and the playing of orchestral music in the background. Then I noticed something; a lot of the dragons here were separated into couples. Some were just friends preparing for a drunken night of celebration, others were actually mates; some wed and some not.

Then when I realized I had forgotten something very important, "_Where's Spyro?!_" I looked around for the vibrant young male. He was nowhere to be seen at least on the staircase. "_Maybe he's already inside."_ I quickened my pace up the stone steps. Without him, I felt _out of place_; almost like I didn't belong there. I noticed a couple of people staring at me as climbed; undoubtedly acting skeptical of my appearance. I ignored them and took a final couple of steps before reaching the top.

It was an open entrance ball where anyone could attend if they wish. Several couples were dancing along to the spriteful jig the orchestra was performing. Everyone was practically glowing with happiness as the music played on. Like me, they were either wearing a beautiful royal dress/suit or the armor they had worn to war. Though the armor wasn't technically mine, for tonight, it was. I took a deep breath in. I was going into this party alone, at least until Spyro arrived or if I found him. I had only taken one step forward when I heard a familiar voice.

"Cynder, is that you?

As I turned around, I felt my breath leave my body in a stunned gasp. I was met with a pair of bright, purple eyes. "S-Spyro?" The adult male had dawned a gleaming set of golden armor. Not only did accentuate his horns and wings, but it strangely covered up his purple scales, almost completing hiding them from view. The only violet hue that was on him was the gemstones engraved in his chest plate.

Neither of us realized that we were staring at each other in a bubble of silence. My breathing was slow, but my heart was racing. My tail was once again anxiously tapping against the stone. I became aware of my slightly tattered wings and subconsciously tucked them close to my body. I saw a grin slowly grow on his muzzle as we continued our inspection of each other. I was entranced, _"Damnit, why does he have to be so handsome?"_

"Wow...," I turned my attention towards Spyro, who was speaking, "you look…beautiful."

I felt heat flush my cheeks, "Thank you. You don't look too shabby yourself." I felt a little flirty so I walked up to him, swaying my hips, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He chuckled and responded with one of his own.

He gestured towards the hall, "Shall we?" I followed him as we joined the festivities. Without even thinking or realizing it, my tail intertwined with his, proudly showcasing our relationship to the world. I felt my shoulders lift a little as my bravery swelled. Whenever he was next to me, I felt like I could do anything. I wasn't afraid of anything when he was by my side. But in the back of my mind, I was hoping that what Ferra said would come to fruition.

As we joined the celebrations, I really noticed how big the attendant turn-out was. They almost couldn't fit everyone in here. Luckily, most remained off the dance floor, since many didn't have a mate of some kind to dance with. However, the citizens made way for us as we stepped onto the floor. We slowly, but surely, made our way over to where the orchestral stage. One of the things I saw was Ember. She was sitting near the front row, focusing on playing her violin. But something that seemed off to me is that her eyes were red and slightly puffy like she had been crying for a couple of hours straight. I quickly brushed it off and looked away as I realized that I was staring.

Spyro stepped up on the stage and got the conductor's attention. They both nodded and acknowledged each other. _"Hmm, I wonder what they have planned."_

As Spyro stepped down, the director cut off the ensemble. Then, he picked up the microphone. "Everyone, if I may have your attention please?" The entire population of dragons, moles, and cheetahs alike went quiet, other than a couple of stragglers. They all patiently awaited the conductor's announcement. "We hope you all have enjoyed the celebration so far as we have, but we also have a very special piece to show you all tonight!" The large crowd let out a cheer for a second before going quiet again. He continued, "This piece is not only dedicated to the glorious city that is Warfang, but also to a special heroine that overcame and rose above her dark past to defeat the tyrant that was Malefor! Can everyone please give a round of applause for Cynder?!" The hall, to my surprise, erupted in claps and cheers. It was only at that moment that I felt that for once in my life, I had finally done something good; that I finally managed to change the public's perspective on me.

He finished, "Thank you both Spyro and Cynder for being out here tonight. Allow us to perform this piece for you both." As he put down the microphone, we moved out to the floor. I released my tail from him as he held my paw in his soft, but strong grip. I gazed into his bright amethyst-colored eyes and found myself lost in them. It's almost like his personality was reflected through his irises; I could almost see his bravery, his determination, and his compassion. It was one of the reasons why I loved him; he knows how to clearly express his emotions. When it comes to Spyro, you always know your relationship status with him. At least, most dragons do other than me. We've been together for six years and still couldn't tell if he loves me for the right reasons or not. Though most of me wanted to believe that he genuinely loves me, another part of me was convinced that he only pities me.

I felt his paw brush against my cheek. He had a look of concern sketched on his face, "Is something wrong, Cynder?"

Tonight was the night that I figured it out for myself. I placed my paw over his and laid my head on top of it. I sighed, "Yeah, I'm fine. He responded with a smile, but the concern never left his eyes. They seemed to bore themselves into my very soul, but I didn't break my composure.

The conductor was starting to count in the band out of the corner of my eye. It was slow, pretty soft, and was written in a waltz style. I remember a conversation with Spyro about how slow waltz was one of my favorite types of music to listen to.

I smirked at the purple dragon, "I guess lamb chops weren't the only things you remembered that I liked today."

He gave me another one of his goofy grins, "How could I forget?"

Secretly, I knew Spyro had actually forgotten that lamb chops were my favorite food. His response after I asked was a dead give away. But tonight was supposed to be fun, not scornful. So I refrained and kept it to myself. I poked, "Well, are we going to dance or are we auditioning as the statues outside?"

He laughed, "Why wouldn't we?" He rested his paws on my sides as we stood up on our hindquarters. Standing up that way made slow dancing a lot less cumbersome and awkward; besides, everyone else was doing the same thing. I wrapped my paws around the back of his neck.

As we started to sway to the soft rhythm, I accidentally tripped over my own tail. Luckily, Spyro was right in front of me and caught me before I collided with the cold, marble floor. I felt my face flush with embarrassment, "I-I'm sorry; I've never danced before."

He never stopped grinning, "It's fine; I don't know how to either. I guess this is a learning experience for us both." We began trying to find that rhythm again. I looked down at my feet to try and keep myself from falling again.

I looked up after about a minute when I heard a lone violin melody in the music. I quickly spotted who was playing such a melody. It was Ember since she was standing while the other players were not. She seemed extremely focused but I noticed a tear roll down her cheek when she saw me staring. She gave me what looked like a small, supportive smile, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Despite that, I looked back down at my feet.

Then, Spyro told me to do something, "Cynder, look at me."

"Spyro, if I look up again, I might fall."

He seemed insistent, "As long as I am here, I will be there to catch you. Just trust me...and trust yourself." Though I wasn't really convinced, I did trust Spyro; so, I looked up. The only thing that filled my vision was his eyes, those _damn_ eyes; I couldn't stop getting enough of them. They were like the cheese in a mousetrap, just looking at them makes it too tempting to resist. I couldn't help but plant a kiss on his snout, just above his lips.

He gave me a loving smile, "I guess a kiss works too." His muzzle lowered and nuzzled the underside of my jaw, inciting a sigh of satisfaction from me. When I locked eyes with him again, everything around us faded away: the guests, the tables, the chairs, everything! The only things that remained were me, Spyro, and the music. But I didn't care; I was too focused on my beloved to care. This was a moment I wanted to have with him and no one else. Our dancing started to pick up as we started to slowly circle each other. I was surprised that we hadn't hit anyone yet. Soon, we released our grip from each other and took off into the air. The feeling was exhilarating as we continued to circle each other above everyone else. We spiraled around each other until we converged into a single point. At that one singular point, we embraced each other; we never broke eye contact up until that point.

As we lowered back to the ground, the hall and everyone in it faded back into view. Apparently, everyone had left the floor and were all watching as Spyro and I lowered in altitude. I felt my anxiety rise up in my chest; the rate at which I was breathing began to rush. Spyro must have felt my apprehension as he leaned his head against mine and whispered, "Shh, it's okay. Don't worry about them. Nothing they can do will ruin this moment so there's no point in focusing on them." He put his paw under my jaw and pulled my gaze up to meet his. "Just focus on me." I remained silent and nodded.

When our hind paws touched the floor, we both silently waited for the crowd to react. We released each other and stood side by side. He put his wing over me and I put my tail around his to keep it from rattling. Something unexpected happened: I heard someone start clapping. Over time, more and more of the guests started to clap and cheer. The music had long since stopped and the orchestra was now standing and applauding us as well! I felt that swelling feeling of pride in my heart again.

Spyro whispered to me, "Are you ready to leave?"

I answered by brushing my cheek against his neck.

He understood immediately and spoke out, "Thank you all for having us tonight! We both enjoy every moment we get to spend with friends, family, and all of the residents of Warfang." He winked at me. "Now if you excuse us, we will be taking our leave. Have a good night everyone!" The crowd erupted into even louder cheers as Spyro and I exited the hall.

After leaving, we decided to go to my favorite restaurant to eat dinner. Spyro said that he had somewhere special he wanted to take me after. Once we arrived and sat down, we both ordered our courses. As expected, I ordered lamb chops; Spyro got a steak for his meal. While we waited for our orders to be cooked, I contemplated what had happened so far that night. Everything that happened in the hall felt like a dream. I almost couldn't believe that it had happened less than an hour ago. Actually, I was surprised it had happened at all! I was starting to believe that…maybe...Spyro really did genuinely love me, but I wasn't 100% convinced yet. _"What if he only did all this just to make me feel better? How do I know that everything on that floor was real? What if he was just putting on a face to reassure me? What If-"_

"Cynder?"

I quickly brushed my thoughts aside, "Yes, Spyro?"

"Are you okay? You've been really quiet since we left the ball." There was a tone of worry laced throughout his voice.

"Oh no, I'm fine. I've just been...thinking."

He laid his head down on his front paws. "Thinking about what?"

I whispered it, "You."

He gave his signature goofy grin, "Really? That's quite a coincidence since...I have been thinking about you too." I felt my cheeks blush red. At this point, I realized that Spyro had actually taken his helmet off and his purple scales were shining from the light above our heads. I remember when I was always reminded of Malefor whenever I see his scales, but for once, I missed looking at them. It feels so weird to not be able to see his bright amethyst scales. Seeing them now made me appreciate them more than I usually do.

Before long, our food had arrived and we started to dig in. I was thoroughly savoring my meal since this restaurant has some of the best lamb chops in all of Warfang. I didn't realize how fast I was eating until I finished with a long bone on my plate. Spyro must not have realized either because he was finished around the time I was. Once he noticed that he was not the only one who scarved down his meal, he got to his feet and offered me his hand. I took it as we got up and left the restaurant to see what special surprise that purple dragon had in store for me.

We strolled down the street while Spyro had his wing draped over me. I leaned against him for warmth in the cold night. Then, we stopped in front of this rather small house. It looked old and like it hadn't been renovated in years. In fact, it almost looked as though no one had gone in this house in years.

I questioned Spyro, "Spyro...why are we here? W-what is this place?"

He motioned for me to come up the stairs, "You'll find out soon enough. Just follow me." I was still skeptical of what he was going to show me, but I was also pretty curious; so I followed as he led me inside the broken down house. The inside was exactly what I imagined it to be: dark and dusty. Spyro spat an ember at one of the lanterns and it illuminated the room. It appeared to be some kind of main room. There was almost no furniture except for one lonely table in the corner. He pointed towards a pair of stands, "You can take your armor off over there."

I walked over and began removing pieces of my attire while placing them on the stand. When my armor was completely put up, I noticed that Spyro was doing the same. When he was done, I could clearly see all of his purple scales in all of their glory. My heart was racing; there was something about how the lantern light was reflecting off the scales that made him even more stunning than he was before.

He saw me staring, "Well since I have your attention, let me show you the best part of this place."

He took my paw and guided me to the backyard as a light blush made its way onto my face. He opened the backdoor and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a garden that was trimmed and well-kempt. There were more lanterns hung all around the somewhat dull groups of leaves; they looked like they haven't been lit since the war.

I asked again, "What is this place?"

Spyro was beaming with clear excitement through his veins, "It's a fire garden. The hedges that grow here are very rare. They are some of the only types of plants that thrive in forest fires and extreme heat." He pointed towards the soil, "Unlike other plants, they grow faster in charcoal rather than natural soil."

I wasn't impressed, "Okay, but why are we here?"

He smirked, "Because I wanted to show you this." He pointed exhale a short jet of flame out of his maw into one of the lanterns. Suddenly, they all started to light themselves one by one. The charcoal soul also lit itself. Slowly the leaves' colors changed from their dull grey to a fiery red with a gradient of orange and yellow. In just a couple of seconds, the entire garden came to life.

I felt my jaw almost physically drop. I just stood there, marveling at the sight that presented itself. I could only utter a couple of words, "I-Its...its...beautiful!" I glanced at my loved one, "H-how did you even find this?"

"Well, I didn't find it; it was given to me. You see, this house used to belong to Ignitus. The council considered me to be Ignitus' protege and since he didn't have any family, they allowed me to inherit this property as my own. I was originally going to move in and live here a couple of days after the war, but…" He hesitated.

"B-but what?"

He looked at me with the most loving expression on his visage that I had ever seen, "But...then I thought about you. I loved Ignitus and he was like a father to me...but I wanted to be with you. So instead, I left this here and moved in with you outside the city." He gestured towards the fiery garden, "I brought you here because this place, in my mind, reminds me of you." He held my paw between both of his. He was trembling, "Fire has an eternal connection to the wind around it. Without it, any fire would snuff itself out almost as quickly as it started. I always thought it was the perfect analogy. Cynder...you're the wind to my fire and I wouldn't be here without you. So, I've decided that...I-I want to take the next step."

I noticed he was starting to open his satchel. My heart was pounding against the walls of my chest, _"This...this can't be happening. Was Ferra right all along!?"_

My heart rate peaked when he pulled out four silver bracelets out of the satchel and laid them in front of me. Then he bowed, "I know this came really suddenly, but I prepared everything tonight just for this one moment. We've been together for six years and this moment is really overdue." He looked up and gave me one of the biggest and goofiest grins he has given me yet, "Cynder...will...will you marry me?"

I let a small gasp escape my muzzle. I felt my body lower to his eye level. At first, I didn't know what to say; then, I knew...that there was only one thing to say. Once we made eye contact, I replied, "Spyro...I'd thought you'd never ask because...I've wanted to be the wind to your fire ever since we were chained together six years ago." As I spoke, I was taking off each shackle that I was wearing. When I picked up the first bracelet, I sweetly responded, "So the answer to your question...is yes; it's always been yes."

I saw the exhilaration slowly grow in his smile as he processed my answer. Without warning, he took off into the sky and let loose a huge cloud of flames. I heard him shouting in the distance, "Whoooo! Yes!" Then he glided back down to me almost just as quickly. I had all the bracelets on at this point and when all four of his feet touched the ground, I ran up and gave him the most passionate kiss that I could muster. Apparently, he wasn't ready for such a sudden impact that he fell over. He hit the ground with a thud, but it didn't stop me. Our lips remained locked as we finally embraced each other as mates. We remained there, purple and black forever connected by their eternal affection for one another.

When I released my lips from him, I laid my head down against his chest to listen to his heart. For that one instance, our hearts were beating at the same tempo before going their separate ways. His lifeforce played a soft rhythm that almost lulled me to sleep.

I heard my name and I looked up my at my life mate. He was still in a lovestruck daze but he whispered, "I love you… and for as long as a fire burns in my heart, I will never leave your side."

I sighed with exhaustion, "I…I love you too." I felt Spyro pick me up and carry me back into the house. My vision was starting to get blurry as went upstairs. We walked into a lit room and he laid me down on the mattress of a bed. Then I felt the mattress sink a little as he rested his body's weight on the creaky bed as well. I scooted and cuddled up next to him. As his warmth enveloped my senses, I fell into a deep sleep. And the best part? I slept soundly that night.

**HOLY FREAKING CRAP, this freaking took so long to write! I think this is also my longest written chapter to date. Anyways, I want to quickly thank everyone who commented or favored this story; your criticism and support are always appreciated. Darkness Rising 2 is coming soon I'll see you then! Please leave a review about what you think!**


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